Outreach is a great way to spread the gospel. It’s important for the church to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and to spread his love. Through outreach, your church can do just that! Here are 7 low cost outreach projects your church can do to show your community Christ’s love.

1. Bubbles in the park

This idea came to me when I was at a public park with my two year old.  A man and his wife had brought huge bubble wands.  It was only a matter of minutes before all the kids at the park were asking if they could play with the bubbles too. 

This couple was gracious enough to share with all of the kids there, even though they weren’t planning on this being the outcome.

As I watched all of this unfold, as a parent, I wondered about the graciousness and kind-heartedness of this couple to share their bubbles with everyone else.  I could only assume that this couple probably had Christian values.

It got me thinking, this would be a great way to do ministry for children in your community– it is definitely a low cost outreach project.

What a difference this could make, if the church, went out to a park, brought bubbles and other free activities for the children and their families.   It get parents wondering why someone or why a church would be so kind, as well as giving you opportunity to share the love of Jesus with children.

Check out these giant bubbles to use for your ministry.

2. Loads of Love

Coordinate with a local laundry mat in your community, and ask the owner if your church can come and wash people’s clothes for free. Your church would be responsible for paying for the laundry services, but for the patrons of the laundry mat, their clothes would be being washed at no cost to them.

Whether or not this looks like putting money into the machines and simply blessing their day, or actually folding and drying their clothes is up to you.

The goal of this is to serve and love others– to spread the love of Jesus. It’s a simple way to bless others, because Jesus loves them.

3.  Free Car Wash

You may have heard on the news about different churches filling up people’s gas tanks for free. I have always wanted to be in an area where that is happening and get my gas tank filled 🤣! Anyway, that outreach project idea for your church is a great one, but it would be extremely costly.

So next on the list for low cost outreach projects— a free car wash.

Instead of filling up people’s gas tanks, your church can serve the community by doing a FREE car wash!

Why? Why a free car wash?

To bless people. To spread Christ’s love. And to serve.

You could always accept donations for specific ministries within your church or for other non-profits in the area, but you certainly don’t have to.

Doing a free car wash would also allow those within your to fellowship and serve together—it’s a win-win.

4.  Cookout/grill out

Get a grill, several packs of hotdogs and buns, a few condiments,  and voila,  you’re ready for this outreach project.

Budget for about $150 on food, and you will be are able to feed about 200 people.  You don’t have to serve chips or any other sides, just a hot dog wrapped in aluminum foil, cheap popsicles, and some cold bottles of water.

One thing to note is that you will probably want to put up some tents and have some fold-out tables to place the hot dogs and condiments on.  Outreach projects in the summer are great, but it can also get very hot depending on where you live.

Location Of The Outreach Projects

Reach out to the government housing projects in your community. One tip is to try and reach the housing projects near your church. (This could eventually open up a bus ministry for your church.)

The goal is to bring the cookout to the people you are serving. Many people in these areas may not have a vehicle, ect.

If your church continues building relationships with the people of these housing projects, eventually they may start attending church—when they had not previously done so.

And praise the Lord at that.

Pass out flyers during the cookouts with information  about  your church and offer a bus (or 12 passenger van) pick up time.   It’s a beautiful thing to see people attending church that you met “on the mission field” in your own community—just by loving and serving them.

5.  Door to Door Prayer Team

Next on the list of low cost outreach projects for your church is 100% free.  It may seem really simple, but getting back to the basics is what the church needs to do.

Create a team of people to go door to door (possibly at the government housing that you have already established a relationship with) and ask people if they would like or need prayer for anything.

You will be more blessed by this experience than you can possibly imagine.

I’ve come across people who are just so dumfounded and shocked that anyone would care or take the time to pray for them, that they are led to tears.  I have yet to have a door slammed in my face.

It also just  depends on  what area you live  in and  what  area you  are  going to.

Honestly, you could hit up the suburbs. 

Everyone around you is fighting  a  battle—not just people  who  live in poverty!

Important Things To Remember For Going Door to Door 

• Do not go by yourself
• Let  people  know when and where you are going
• Keep your phone  with you at all times.

Prayerfully consider passing out flyers about your church with your bus times Although you certainly don’t have to. I believe this can be a double-edged sword.  You don’t want the people you are praying for to think you have an ulterior motive …..aka getting  more people to attend your church.

Make sure you pray before you go—ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you, and to give you and your team boldness.

6. Volunteer at local homeless shelter

This may seem like such a simple, obvious thought, but how often are we volunteering at the homeless shelters?

In all honesty, I could be homeless if I lost my job.

The people in the shelter are people! People whom God loves. People who he died for—just the same as you and me!

Why not serve them? They may need more love and care than any of us.

Volunteering at your local homeless shelter is one of the best low cost outreach projects your church can do. Many shelters already have systems in place–give them a call and ask how your church can help.

7.  Outdoor Worship Service

First, you need to get the worship team on board, as they will be putting in a lot of time and effort. 

Places to have an outdoor worship service for one of your low cost outreach projects

• The government housing areas you have established a relationship with
• A local community park
• At one of your church partners locations

You can have the event in the evening as an “under the stars worship service.”

Throw up the grill and hand out free hot dogs, and people will come.

How beautiful would it be for people to be “in a church service” who could have been scared or intimidated to enter an actual church building?

There will be people who are at this outdoor worship service, who have been scared to go into a church for years.

You have shown them how it doesn’t  have to be intimidating.

I hope this list of low cost outreach projects your church can do has inspired you to serve those in your own community.

Jesus tells us to go out into all the world and preach the Gospel.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. “

Mark 16:15

Do we go out into our own communities? Or do we just think of all the world as a far away land?

Blessings as you and your church reach the lost!